Former 'Hows DX?' Conductor Rod Newkirk, W9BRD (SK):

Rod Newkirk, W9BRD/VA3ZBB, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- who penned
the QST column "How's DX?" from 1947-1978 -- passed away on Monday,
November 19 after a long illness. Newkirk was credited with coining the
term "Elmer," as well as for his humorous take on DX in his column,
especially with limericks in his DX Hoggery and Poetry Depreciation
Society and the accompanying cartoons of Jeeves by Phil "Gil"
Gildersleeve, W1CJD (SK).

The term "Elmer" -- meaning someone who provides personal guidance and
assistance to would-be hams -- first appeared in QST in Newkirk's March
1971 "How's DX?" column, where he wrote that "[t]oo frequently one
hears a sad story in this little nutshell: 'Oh, I almost got a ticket,
too, but Elmer, W9XYZ, moved away and I kind of lost interest.' Sure,
the guy could have burned through on his own, maybe, but he, like
others, wound up an almost-ham. No more Elmer. We need those Elmers.
All the Elmers, including the ham who took the most time and trouble to
give you a push toward your license, are the birds who keep this great
game young and fresh." Newkirk was probably not trying to coin a term
at the time, but the name stuck, becoming a general term for the
mentors Newkirk called "the unsung fathers of ham radio." Read more
here
http://www.arrl.org/news/former-how-s-dx-conductor-rod-newkirk-w9brd-sk.

He practiced what he preached. I worked him several times in the Novice portion of 40 meters after I passed my code test and he seemed perfectly happy to rag chew at 5-10 wpm. I'll treasure the great handmade QSL card he sent me.

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